Artificial limb



May 30, 1933.

C. DESOUTTER ARTIFICIAL LIMB I Filed Dec. 20, 1929 Q Q I WMM Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHABLES DESOUTTER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR 1'0 DESOUT'IER BROTHERS LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND ARTIFICIAL LIMB Application filed December 20, 1929, Serial No. 415,584, and in Great Britain December 22, 1928.

. This invention relates to artificial limbs of the kind in which an angular movement takes place about a desired axis and has particular reference to ankle joints, but is 5 applicable to other joints also.

Heretofore it has been found necessary to provide resilient buffers, s rings or the like not only for the purpose 0 absorbing shocks and limitin the extent of movement of the 0 parts but a so to ensure that, for example,

the foot of an artificial leg is normally held at the correct angle. Furthermore, such 'oints have hitherto always consisted of a inge having two adjacent surfaces ca able 1; of sliding over each other, and it has t ereforebeen necessary to provide for the lubrication of the joint.

This invention does away with the necessity of providing bufi'ers or springs for the purpose of restoring the joint to the normal position (and which are a constant source of trouble due to buckling and fatigue) and of providing any means of lubricatlon.

According to this invention the artificial limb is provided with a joint which consists of a central pin attached to one part of the limb and a surrounding sleeve-attached to another part of the limb relative to which the first part is required to be articulated. Between the said pin and the said sleeve is interosed a rubber bush which is tightly gripped between the two, and may be cemented to either or both if required. The said rubber bush is so tightly held conveniently by compression of the rubber that no relative move-v ment is possible between either the exterior surface thereof and the interior surface of the sleeve, or between the interior surface thereof and the exterior surface of the pin. 40 Relative movement is nevertheless possible between the pin and the sleeve since the rubber bush is capable of deformation and accordingl permits the pin to be rotated relative to t e sleeve through a sufficient anglefor the purposes of the oint. a

The accompanying drawing illustrates one convenlent mode of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a part of an artificial foot constructed 0 in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a detail.

' In carrying the invention into efi'ectin the u manner illustrated the arts a and b of the foot are united by an an e joint which comprises a sleeve 0 fixed to the part a (for example by the threaded shank c and nut c), a central pin d fixed to the part b (for example by the interengagement of teeth (1' on its ends and teeth on the part b), and a rubber sleeve 6 compressed between the pin and sleeve and if necessary cemented to either or both parts. Relative movement between the as parts a and b is permitted by the elasticity of the rubbersleeve e, but if necessary a forward buffer 7 may be provided.

As soon as relative movement takes place between the two parts a and b of the limb to which the said sleeve and pin are attached,

the rubber bush is put under strain and tends to exert a restoring force, with the result that when external constraint is removed, the joint is at once restored to the normal position.

Unlike joints which depend for this restoration to the normal osition on external buffers or springs, whic are likely to wear unequally, or vary in their effect after prolonged use the joint with which this invention is concerned will always restore to the same position. Further, this joint requires no lubrication since there are no contacting surfaces moving relative to one another. Further the rubber bush causes the joint to have important shock absorbing qualities and no wear whatever takes place. v

In one practical example of a joint constructed accor'din to the invention, the outside diameter of e inner'c'entral pin mem- In another practical form of thejoint the above dimenslons all remain the same with the exception of the exterior diameter of the inner pin member, which in the second exam le is .7725".

claim, 1. An artificial limb comprising limb members, a two-part pivotal connection between the limb members, and an elastic mass facially bonded with the respective parts of the pivotal connection and having a suflicient degree of elasticit to restore the limb members to normal position following displacement of the latter.

2. An artificial limb comprising limb members, a two-part pivotal connection between the limb members, and an elastic mass facially bonded with the respective parts of the pivotal connection and having a sufiicient deree of elasticity to restore the limb mem- %ers to normal position.following displacement of the latter, saidplastic mass being of tubular form.

3. An artificial limb comprising limb members, a joint connecting said members and including a central pin attached to one limb member and a surrounding sleeve attached to the other limb member permittin relative pivotal movement of the two lim CHARLES DESOUTTER.

members, and an elastic mass constituting a bush interposed between the pin and sleeve and having a suflicient degree of elasticity to 40 restore the limb members to normal position following relative displacement of the latter.

4. An artificial limb comprising limb members, a joint connecting said members and including a central pin'attached to one limb member and a surrounding sleeve attached to the other limb member permitting relative pivotal movement of the two limb members, and an elastic mass constituting a bush interposed between the pin and sleeve and having a suflicient degree of elasticity torestore the limb members to normal position followin relative displacement of the latter, said bus being cemented to the pin and sleeve to prel l vent relative surface displacement.

5. An artificial limb com risin limb members, a joint connecting sai mem rs and including a central pin, one of said limb memhere being terminally bifurcated and firmly 60 embracing said pin, a surrounding sleeve and a lateral y projecting anchorin member firmly secured to the other lim member and receiving the pinto permit relative ivotal movement of the limb members, an an 6 elastic mass constituting a bush interposed 

